1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electromechanical packaging, and more specifically to mounting of components onto a circuit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many electronic circuits utilize optical signals to communicate information, signals and/or data on and off the circuit including, personal computer (PC) circuit boards, calculator circuit board, personal digital assistant (PDA) circuit boards and other circuit boards. Often these circuits need to be able to transmit and receive light from a chassis mounted circuit board to and through a housing or panel, for example through a front panel of a computer.
One of the significant problems with establishing the optical communication onto and off of the circuit is the mounting of the optical components. Previous systems mount the optical components onto the circuit board. However, once mounted onto the circuit board, the optical components require additional optical coupling to transmit optical signals off of and receive optical signals onto the circuit board. Previous systems have used light pipes to bring the light off of and onto the circuit and, for example, to the front of the front panel, or have used a second front panel mounted circuit board with mounted components. This adds additional costs for circuitry, adds additional design costs (man power) for designing, adds additional part costs (piece cost), adds additional general manufacturing costs, adds additional cost for assembly and adds additional cost to ensure accurate alignment of the optical components with the light pipes and/or second, auxiliary circuit board.
It is with respect to these and other background information factors of mounting component that the present invention has evolved.
The present invention advantageously addresses the needs above as well as other needs through a method and apparatus for optimally mounting components with devices, such as circuit boards. The apparatus includes: a mount body having an interface wall; a first component mount fixed with the interface wall, wherein the first component mount extends out from the interface wall; the first component mount being configured to receive and secure a first optical component such that at least a portion of the first optical component extends out from the interface wall; a second component mount fixed with the interface wall, wherein the second component mount extends out from the interface wall; and the second component mount being configured to receive and secure a second optical component such that at least a portion of the second optical component extends out from the interface wall.
In another embodiment, the invention can be characterized as an apparatus for mounting a plurality of optical components to a circuit board to provide optical communication to and from a circuit board. The apparatus includes a first means for mounting a component configured to receive a first component; the first means for mounting the first component includes a first means for securing the first component, wherein the first means for securing the first component being configured to secure the first component with the first means for mounting; a second means for mounting a component configured to receive a second component; the second means for mounting the second component includes a second means for securing the second component, wherein the second means for securing the second component being configured to secure the second component with the second means for mounting; and the first means for mounting the first component and the second means for mounting the second component both being fixed with a mount body such that the first and second means for mounting the first and second components extend out from the mount body such that at least a portion of the first and second components extend out from the mount body.
The present invention provides a method of mounting components. The method includes the steps of: securing a first optical component within a first component mount; securing a second optical component within a second component mount; fixing the first and second component mounts in positions relative with each other; securing the first and second component mounts with a circuit board and positioning the first and second optical components at a predefined distance above the circuit board.